Curfew continued for third day on Sunday in Pulwama town of south Kashmir even as army and police kept passing the buck on to each other over the Friday’s firing on protesters.
A senior official of Pulwama district administration said restrictions were still in place as the sporadic incidents of stone-pelting have continued in the town since Friday.
He said the restrictions are likely to continue on Monday as well in view of the strike call given by separatist groups.
Both the army and police are claiming that their men did not open firing on the people, who had allegedly blocked the road when four injured -- two army personnel and two policemen -- were being evacuated to a hospital.
Seven persons were injured when security forces opened firing on Friday at Pulwama Chowk, 32 km from here, to make way for vehicles carrying the four persons, including two army officers, who were injured in a gun-battle with two LeT ultras in a nearby village.
An army spokesman refused to comment on the incident.
However, senior army officials, in off the record conversations, maintain that their personnel were not even present in Pulwama Chowk when the firing took place.
Police, on its part, initially blamed the army for the firing on civilians.
“In the encounter one Major, one captain of army and a policeman were also injured. When the Major was being evacuated for treatment, a mob attacked the ambulance at Pulwama, by hurling stones. In the retaliatory action, seven persons were injured,” police said in the statement about the incident on Friday.
A police spokesman on Sunday refused to comment on the incident saying they would wait for the outcome of the magisterial inquiry ordered into the incident.
Meanwhile, additional District Magistrate Pulwama, who has been nominated as enquiry officer to probe into the firing incident, will record statement of witnesses till January 5.
“Any person(s) having any knowledge or information about the said incident can record their statements or file their affidavits before the Enquiry Officer by or before January 05 in his office chamber during working hours,” an official spokesman said.
